President Donald J. Trump has scored another major win for his America First agenda, with Apple announcing it is set to commit $500 million to developing the United States’ only current rare earth minerals mine in Mountain Pass, California, operated by MP Materials. The deal also signifies a significant commitment by the U.S. technology sector toward developing domestic supply chains, with other major Silicon Valley players expected to follow Apple’s lead.
Apple’s move comes after the company has been subject to extensive criticism over its business ties to China. Apple has been accused of investing tens of billions of dollars in developing a high-tech workforce for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The agreement will also see Apple invest in two new recycling facilities at MP Materials’ Mountain Pass facility. These facilities will allow rare earth minerals to be re-extracted from electronics and reused in Apple products. One senior White House official told the media, “This is a huge win for the President, who has the foresight to make this issue a priority.”
